Download or read book Japan Encounters the Barbarian written by Emeritus Professor W G Beasley and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 1995-01-01 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over a hundred years the Japanese have looked to the West for ideas, institutions and technology that would help them achieve their goal of 'national wealth and strength'. In this book a distinguished historian of Japan discusses Japan's 'cultural borrowing' from America and Europe. W. G. Beasley focuses on the mid-nineteenth century, when Japan's rulers dispatched diplomatic missions to the West to discover what Japan needed to learn, sent students abroad to assimilate information and invited foreign experts to Japan to help put the knowledge to practical use. Beasley examines the origins of the decision to initiate direct study of the West at a time when western countries counted as 'barbarian' by Confucian standards. Drawing on many colourful letters, diaries, memoirs and reports, he describes the missions sent overseas in 1860 and 1862, in 1865-1867 and in the years after 1868, in particular the prestigious embassy led by Iwakura in 1871-1873. The book also tells the story of the several hundred students who went overseas in this period. It concludes by assessing the impact of the encounters on the subsequent development of Japan, first by examining the later careers of the travellers and the influence they exercised (they included no fewer than six prime ministers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries), and then by considering the nature of the ideas they brought home.

Download or read book Tanegashima The Arrival of Europe in Japan written by Olof G. Lidin and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2003-12-16 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The year 1543 marked the beginning of a new global consciousness in Japan with the arrival of shipwrecked Portuguese merchants on Tanegashima Island in southern Japan. Other Portuguese soon followed and Japan became aware of a world beyond India. After the merchants came the first missionary Francis Xavier in 1549, beginning the Christian century in Japan. This is not a new story, but it is the first time that Japanese, Portuguese and other European accounts have been brought together and presented in English. Their arrival was recorded by the Japanese in Tanegashima kafu, the Teppoki and the Kunitomo teppoki, here translated and presented together with European reports. Includes maps, and Portuguese and Japanese illustrations.

Download or read book The EU Japan Partnership in the Shadow of China written by Axel Berkofsky and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-06-27 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Both the European Union and Japan have been major beneficiaries and supporters of the liberal international order, first led by the United States since the end of World War II. During this period, they have emerged as global powers, however, the very order that nurtured their rise is now facing twin threats. First, through authoritarian China’s promotion of alternative models of global governance, and second from a crisis of liberalism, manifested in the policies of President Donald Trump and Brexit. This book explores these challenges faced by both the EU and Japan, providing a multidisciplinary approach to studying the relationship between the two. It analyses their cooperation in terms of security, defence and trade and examines how their shared normative values are ultimately implemented. Having recently concluded an Economic Partnership Agreement and with a Strategic Partnership Agreement in the pipeline, this book asks whether they can convert their latent and modest cooperation into an alternative form of leadership and an antidote to the illiberal tide sweeping the developed world? As the first book to shed light on the new Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and Japan, this book will be useful to students and scholars of Japanese Studies, as well as European Union politics and international political economy more generally.

Download or read book Transactions Transgressions Transformations written by Heide Fehrenbach and published by Berghahn Books. This book was released on 2000 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: American culture has been one of the most controversial exports of the United States: greeted with enthusiasm by some, with hostility by others. Yet, few societies escape its influence. However, not all changes should be interpreted simply as "Americanization." The shaping of the postwar world has been much more complex than this term implies as is shown in this volume that explores the links between Americanization and modernity in Western Europe and Japan. In considering the impact of products and images ranging from movies and music to fashion and architecture, a multi-disciplinary group of contributors asks how American culture has been employed internationally in the articulation of postwar identities - be they national or subnational, socially sanctioned or socially transgressive. Their essays on France, Italy, Germany and Japan move beyond the simple paradigms of colonization and democratic modernization, yet retain a sensitivity to the asymmetries in the postwar power relationships between these countries and the United States. An extensive introduction historically locates changing interpretations of American influences abroad and suggests the problems and promises of "Americanization" as an analytical tool. Its comparative focus and interdisciplinary scope will appeal to a wide range of students and scholars of cold war and post-cold war history.

Download or read book Europe Japan written by Vincent J. McBrierty and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2014-05-20 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Europe-Japan: Futures in Science, Technology and Democracy presents the combined European and Japanese thinking on the implications of scientific and technological developments for society and democracy. This book addresses the challenges and the advantages that science and technology brings to Europe and Japan and explores how the process and application of scientific discovery can be beneficial to all people in the world. This monograph is comprised of six chapters and begins with a discussion on the impact of science on civilization and democracy, with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities afforded by technological innovations. The implications of advances in biology and medicine for human rights are the subject of the next chapter, paying particular attention to the themes of freedom, ethics, and the role of communication and dialogue in society. This book also explores cooperation and competition in science and advanced technology before concluding with a chapter that describes the scientific and technological linkages between Europe and Japan. This text will be a valuable resource for policymakers, parliamentarians, scientists, and others who are concerned with the increasingly complex arena of science and politics.

Download or read book Diplomacy in Japan EU Relations written by Oliviero Frattolillo and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-06-26 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the 1950s, Japan-Europe relations have been characterised by a mutual coldness in terms of diplomatic dialogue, punctuated by a number of trade disputes. This book analyses the development of the political and diplomatic relationship between Japan and Europe, and shows that – especially during the Cold War years – whilst they share a wide range of political values and goals, the quality of diplomatic relations has often been sacrificed to both overcome trade issues and as a result of systemic factors. Focusing on the institutionalization of relations between Japan and the EU, this book examines both the historical-diplomatic dimension and political-strategic discourse. It traces the historical development of the relationship from the post-war years, to the signing of the Japan-EU action plan in 2001, which marked a key turning point in the relationship. It goes on to examine the achievements and criticisms of ASEM, the Asia-Europe Meeting, which whilst meeting successfully for the past sixteen years, has also been condemned as little more than a talking shop. Crucially, Oliviero Frattolillo’s analysis clearly demonstrates how the interaction between Japan and the EU has been constructed on the basis of their perceptions of each other, thus underlining the inherent impact of different political identities, cultures and values on international relations. Providing a keen insight into Japan-EU relations, this book will appeal to students and scholars of Japanese and European history and politics, as well as those interested in the history of international relations and security studies.

Download or read book China Watching written by Robert Ash and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2007-01-24 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An international team of contributors analyzes the state of European, Japanese and American scholarship on China over the last decade, exploring in depth the main subjects and trends in research being done on contemporary Chinese politics, economy, foreign affairs and security studies.

Download or read book Value Politics in Japan and Europe written by François Foret and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2021-12-24 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explains the increasing importance of value politics in Europe and Japan, shedding light on various arenas: social values; parties, elections and politics; public action, private sector and law; identity politics and religion; media and public spheres. It analyses how, against different but commensurable backgrounds, the rise of value politics alters (or not) the political game, for which purposes and with which effects. Applying both qualitative and quantitative methods from a wide range of primary and secondary sources, the comparison is organized by joining skills from experts of Japan and Europe and by systematizing a common analytical framework for the two cases. As such, it presents a revealing and unique analysis of the changing relationship between values and political behaviour in the two polities. Beyond the comparison, it also documents the opportunities and challenges underlying the interactions between Europe, Japan and the rest of the world; and the competition/combination between different versions of modernity. This book is of key interest to scholars and students of European studies and politics, Asian politics/studies, Japanese studies/politics and more broadly to comparative politics, sociology, cultural/media studies, and economics.

Download or read book Centuries of Economic Endeavor written by John P. Powelson and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 500 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why did the modern economy arise first in Northwestern Europe and Japan? And what distinguishes those few economies that have achieved sustained economic growth? These are the important puzzles that John P. Powelson answers in this original and important work. Building from an intriguing and neglected parallel between the histories of Japan and Northwestern Europe, he explores the paths of social and political development in those two regions to isolate a significant linkage between economic development and the distribution of political power. He then turns to other regions of the world, explaining why they have not experienced similar levels of economic success. Powelson offers a powerful theory that aids our understanding of many current issues, including the problems of the Third World and the long-term health of our own economy. "Extremely exciting. . . . Leverage . . . is a very important concept which I have never really seen stated in this way before." --The late Kenneth Boulding "A valuable piece of work, one which shows an immense breadth of reading. Very impressive!" --Douglass North, Nobel Laureate, 1993, Washington University, St. Louis "A major contribution . . . a big work done by an acknowledgedly careful scholar." --Mark Perlman, University of Pittsburgh John P. Powelson is Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Colorado.

Download or read book EU Japan Relations and the Crisis of Multilateralism written by Julie Gilson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-12-06 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presenting the history of relations between the European Union and Japan, this book explains the origins and significance of the momentous 2018 Economic Partnership Agreement and its parallel Strategic Partnership Agreement. Set within the historical context of the 1991 Hague Declaration and Action Plan of 2001, this book analyses the impact of recent background changes to the liberal trading order, the proliferation of free trade agreements, and uncertainty about role of the United States in the world on relations between Japan and the EU. Adopting a path-dependent approach, it illustrates how these agreements were reached as a result of growing patterns of cooperative behaviour between the EU and Japan, and the imprint of shared past experiences in areas from trade to security. In so doing, this book also raises important questions about the future of multilateral cooperation, exploring the potential for bilateral agreements to undermine the possibility of finding international solutions to increasingly international problems. EU–Japan Relations and the Crisis of Multilateralism will appeal to students and scholars of European and Japanese politics and international relations, as well as policymakers internationally with an interest in these significant agreements.

Download or read book The First European Description of Japan 1585 written by Luis Frois SJ and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-03-14 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1585, at the height of Jesuit missionary activity in Japan, which was begun by Francis Xavier in 1549, Luis Frois, a long-time missionary in Japan, drafted the earliest systematic comparison of Western and Japanese cultures. This book constitutes the first critical English-language edition of the 1585 work, the original of which was discovered in the Royal Academy of History in Madrid after the Second World War. The book provides a translation of the text, which is not a continuous narrative, but rather more than 600 distichs or brief couplets on subjects such as gender, child rearing, religion, medicine, eating, horses, writing, ships and seafaring, architecture, and music and drama. In addition, the book includes a substantive introduction and other editorial material to explain the background and also to make comparisons with present-day Japanese life. Overall, the book represents an important primary source for understanding a particularly challenging period of history and its connection to contemporary Europe and Japan.

Download or read book EU Japan Relations 1970 2012 written by Jörn Keck and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-07-18 with total page 395 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a comprehensive overview of EU-Japan relations from 1970 to the present. It charts developments over the period, analyses key specific areas of importance to the relationship, and concludes by assessing how the relationship is likely to develop going forward. Throughout, the book discusses the factors on both sides which motivate the relationship, including Japan’s concern to secure markets for its advanced industrial products, and the factors motivating current negotiations for a deeper and more comprehensive economic and cooperative partnership.

Download or read book Globalizing Japan written by Harumi Befu and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2003-09-02 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the social and cultural dimensions of Japan's global presence as an economic giant. Areas examined include Japanese multinational corporations, popular music and perceptions of Japan in France and Korea.

Download or read book Europe Japan and America in the 1990s written by Theodor Leuenberger and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Competition and cooperation between Japan, Europe and USA is the key issue of this book - both at government and business levels. Both short-term and long-termin competitive cooperation between Western and Japanese firms and institutions can be fruitful. Cooperation however, provides no easy solutions to problems which Western economies have been unable to solve on their own. Governments as well as companies are often unprepared for cooperation with Japan within the framework of larger-scale projects. On theother hand, Japan itself still lacks the leadership capacities to match its present economic and technological dominance. Thus the Japanese strategyfor a Number Two role in cooperation with the USA and the EC is described. The discussion focuses on the implications of US/Japanese relations for Europe. It further highlights future relations between the US and Japan in the field of technology, and also deals with the EC/Japan context.

Download or read book The Japanese Mission to Europe 1582 1590 written by Michael Cooper and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2021-10-01 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following the pioneering work of Francis Xavier in establishing Christianity in Japan, his successor Alessandro Valignano, decided to send a legation to Europe representing the three Christian daimyo of Kyushu, southern Japan. It consisted of two Christian samurai boys who were chosen as legates, together with two teenage companions. The group set sail from Nagasaki in February 1582 and were to be away for eight years. The purpose of the mission was twofold: it would give Europeans the chance of seeing Japanese people at first hand and appreciating their culture, thereby publicising the work of the Catholic Church in Japan and so (it was hoped) increase much-needed financial support; and secondly on their return to Japan the envoys would give eyewitness reports of the splendours of Renaissance Europe, thus moderating Japanese notions about the outside world and foreign barbarians. The boys travelled through Portugal, Spain and Italy and were feted wherever they went. In Venice, the authorities even postponed the annual festival in honour of St Mark, the city’s patron, so that the Japanese might view the spectacle. More importantly, the boys met Philip II of Spain several times, as well as Pope Gregory XIII and his successor Sixtus V. This is the first book-length study in English of the mission and provides important new insights into the work of the Jesuits in Japan and the nature of the legation’s impact on late-sixteenth-century European perceptions of Japan.

Download or read book Japan Rising written by Kunitake Kume and published by . This book was released on 2009-04-16 with total page 568 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1871 Japan sent a delegation to the USA and Europe. This book is an abridged report of this journey.

Download or read book Wood and Wood Joints written by Klaus Zwerger and published by Birkhauser Architecture. This book was released on 2012 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Building with wood as an ecologically viable material is a tradition with a long history. The timber architecture which has ensued over the past centuries reveals to the modern observer the depth of knowledge which has enabled both Eastern und Western cultures to use this wonderful material in such a creative way. In the most typical method of building with wood, elements are connected by using wood joints which do not require the assistance of adhesives or metal connectors. This art of wood jointing reached its zenith in Japan; but Europe too provided its share of highly influential forms. By looking at several hundred examples from Japan and 18 European countries, with a new chapter on China added to this enlarged edition, this book describes in great detail the history of timber architecture in terms of its technical, aesthetic and ecological dimensions. This thorough study is a mine of information to specialists in this field; it opens up to the craftsman of today what has become an almost forgotten world and provides a fascinating account for the general reader. Here is a man who has trekked though the wild Carpathian forests, the Norwegian outback, the Russian steppes and obscure regions of Japan in pursuit of the wood joint. He tells the story with a sense of unfolding discovery; for anyone interested in how buildings work this book is a joy to read." the architects journal"